Deck for oil tanks



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Nmn 22, 19270 C. A. GLASS DECK FGR 01L TANKS Filed April 18, 1924,

11v VENTOR a 5 w v & W l H WW Patented Nov; 22, 1927.

' UNITED STATES curator: A. cases, on Kansas or, mssoum.

DECK FOB OIL TANKS.

Application filed April 18, 102 24. Serial No. 707,428.

This invention relates to floating roofs or decks for oil tanks, the primary objectbeing to provide a floating roof or deck in the form of a raft which will lie upon the surface of the oil so as to close off communication between atmosphere and the oil and thereby prevent evaporation losses. As explained in some of my former applications, the evaporation is due totheifapt that'the lighter volatile ends of-.-=-.the petroleum are taken up by the air, adniittedthrough the breather pipe in thereof, or which leak through the roof, if the=roof=is not air tight so that the air becomes impregnated with the highly volatile constituents of the petroleum and then passes out to atmosphere. Such losses are considerable where no means is provided to prevent them, but. with my invention, the evaporation losses'are reduced to a minimum, if not wholly eliminated.

The practice of providing floating roofs or decks involving the generic principals of my invention is well understood by oil operatives, but all of such decks or roofs do not maintain the highest efficiency, so this invention is designed to meet the requirements at a relatively small cost and with a high degree of efficiency.

The novel construction of the invention will be clearly understood by reference to the following description in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional viewthrough a tank and floating roof constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detailed perspective view of one sealing means between the tank wall and the roof. I

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the contiguous ends of two sealing members of the lap joint.

Fig. dis a detailed view showing the posi tion of the'sealing means at the point where two wall plates are joined together.

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of a further modified form of sealing means.

Referring noW to the drawings by numerals'of reference 1 designates a tankhaving a bottom 2 and a side wall 3. The tankis preferably provided with a roof 4 having a breathei pipe 5 anda gauge hole and cover 6. The roof is preferably supported by one or more verticals 7. The tank thus far described may conform to the conventional type of tank, but with my invention, the roof 4 may not be air tight, since the atmospheric air admitted into the upper portion of the tank will not contact with the oil in the lower portion of the tank beneath the floating roof or deck. I recommend some sort of roof or cover however to shed rain, and snow, and protect the contents heat of the sun. v The floating roof or deck is illustrated as in the form of a pan 8 having a bottom substantially co-extensivewith the cross sectional area of the tank, the bottom having an outwardly flared flange 9 slightly spaced from the wall3 of the tank to provide a wedge shaped space below the 'upperedge of the flange 9 to receive a sealing means.

The sealing means consists of a plurality of arcuate tubes 10 arranged in an angular series, the ends of which are flattened as at 11 and 12 to form angularly related faces so that the contiguous ends of two complementary sealing members will overlapping joint as shown in Flg. 3; The arcuate sealing means preferably consists of flexible tubing adapted to be inflated through a valve 13 after the manner of a pneumatic tire. The sealingineans will constitute floats which will be forced into the space between the pan and the side wall of the tank so as to wedge or pack against the flange 9 and the side wall of the tank and thereby prevent evaporation losses through the space between the edge of the pan and the wallv of the tank. The sealing members will be inflated at a low pressure so that the. walls will be flexible enough to accommodate themselves to the flange and the wall of the tank, and in each instance the diameter of the members 10 will be greater ,than the space between the edge of the flange 9 and the wall of the tank. Since the members 9 are buoyant they will rise and fall with the tank, floating upon the surface of the oil, so that they will maintaina seal at all times whether oil is being pumped into or pumped out of the tank.

The tank is preferably provided. with a plurality of radial partitions 14 with circular or similar cross partitions 15 to provide a plurality of compartments 16. The purpose of arranging the partitions 16 is to prevent the floating roof or deck from sink- 'ing in the event it becomes punctured or open at any one point for example, if an opening occurredanywhere in the tank, oil would seep into the compartment having the opening, but it would be confined there so provide an v be made up of sections because they the event t that the floating roof or declywhich I prefer to make of 'metal would not become submer ed. i

T e center of the floating roof or deck is shown as, provided'with a conical flange l7 surrounding an opening 18 through which the vertical brace projects, but evaporation will be sealed by a buoyant ring 19. The

deck may. be rovided with a thief hole openin 20 wi a "cover 21 adapted to be drawn ack on its hinges 22 by a connection 23 accessible from the gau e hold cover 6 with which thethief hole aligns. The deck may also be provided with'an inverted boxlike formation 24 to rovide a swing pipe compartment 25 havmg an opening 26 through which the cable 27 may pass to connect to. the swing pipe 28, the cable being accessible outside the tank so the swing pipe can be manipulated in the usual way. The construction is obviously such that the deck 1 or roof 8 may rise and. fall withthe level of the li uid within the tank and in sucha manner t at the oil will be sealed off fromcontact with atmosphere andwhile I do not wish'to be limited to the arcuate form of sealin floats in all instances, I recommend that t e ring for sealing ofi .the space between the roof 8 and the wall of the tank can be easily changed and easily installe and in at one of them becomes punctured 'or worn, another one can besubstituted without requiring the renewal to consist of an entire ring. This is important for the sake of economy as the tanks of very large diameters and a sectional .ring can be repaired at a' much less cost by removing the objectionable sections, than could an entire new ring, besides the material for setting up the tank is usually shipped a long distance and obviously a sectional ring could be shipped in a smaller'package than a complete ring of one piece and much more easily andled.

In Fig. 4; I have shown the sealing ring in its theoretical position when it contacts with two overlappingflplates 28 and 29, of which the wall of the tank is constructed, the illustration 'beingdesigned to show how the flexible sealing means will accommodate itself to fit absolute seal against .atmos here. 7

In Fi 5 I have shown a 'ghtly modified form 0 and sealing means. The bottom of the deck or sealing means 31 has an edge in. the form of a ring32 with inturnecl flan es 33 and 34. The bottom 31 is fasten' to the ring 32 intermediate its ends so that part of the ring projects below and part above the bottom 31. In this form the sealing -means'consQsts of a tube 35 which will maintain a substantially elliptical form, the major axis of the ellipse being in the vertical plane. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is: w 1. K deck for oil tanks comprising a pan shaped member divided into a plurality of independent compartments having its edges ,s aced away from the sides of the tank and oatable sealing means for bridging the gap between thexleck and the-sides of the tank, said sealing means comprising arcuate yielding members having overlapping edges to complete a ring.

2. A deck for oil tanks. comprising a pan shaped member divided into a plurality of independent compartments having its edges s aced away from the sides of the-tank-and oatable sealing means for bridging the gap over the shoulder 30 and to maintain between the deck and the sides of the tank,

said means comprising inflatable arcuate sealing members co-acting to complete a ring.

3. A floating deck for oil tanks comprising a pan shaped-member having its edges s aced away from the sides of the tank and oatable sealing means for bridging the gap between the deck and the sides ofthe tank, said sealing means comprising an annular series of arcuate inflatable members having angularly related end faces arranged in overlap ing relation. 4. A oating deck for oil well tanks, havmg an upwardl and outwardly inclined edge and an in ependently movable ringsha d sealing means beneath the edge to sea the space between the and the tank' wall.

In testimony whereof I affig: my'signature.

' CLIFTON A. GLASS.

edge of the deck 

